The Defense Department is pressing Congress for exemptions from many of the nation’s most important environmental laws. The Pentagon claims the restrictions hamper military readiness and training.

If the Pentagon prevails, many training and bombing exercises would be exempt from an array of laws governing endangered species, marine mammals, migratory birds, clean air and hazardous-waste cleanup.

A House Armed Services subcommittee on military readiness last week adopted two of the proposed exemptions as part of a 2003 defense authorization bill.

Guests:

Dr. Marsha Green, founder, Ocean Mammal Institute.

David Helvarg, author of "Blue Frontier: Saving America’s Living Seas".

Randy Mormon, legislative research associate, EarthJustice. Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm.